8/2/2019 Nat'l Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' Letter of Support for Cece McDonald
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Chai Jindasurat, 212.714.1184
April 20, 2011
NCAVP and Allied LGBTQ Organizations Stand in Solidarity with
CeCe McDonald; Drop the Charges, Self-Defense is Not Murder
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) and allied lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) organizations stand in solidarity with Cece McDonald, a youngAfrican American transgender womanviolently attackedby a group of people in a racist and
transphobic hate violence incident in June 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Despite being the
survivor of this incident of violence, CeCe McDonald was the only person arrested. Hennepin
County Attorney Michael Freeman has charged McDonald with two counts of second-degree
murder for acting in self-defense and allegedly fatally stabbing one of her attackers. Hennepin
County has dropped murder charges inthree similar caseswhere people have acted in self-
defense. NCAVP and our allies add our support to the public outcry to drop the charges against
CeCe McDonald.
Transgender women of color face severe and deadly hate violence in the United States.
NCAVP has responded to three murders of transgender women in the month of Aprilalone. NCAVPs most recentreport,Hate Violence Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Communities in the United States in 2010, documented
27 anti-LGBTQH murders, the second highest yearly total ever recorded by the coalition.
Transgender women made up 44% of the 27 reported hate murders in 2010, while
representing only 11% of total survivors and victims. Transgender people represented a
higher proportion of hate violence survivors with serious injuries (11.8%) as compared to non-
transgender men (6.2%) or non-transgender women (1.3%).
The report also showed that transgender people and people of color were the least likely to
receive medical attention, and that transgender people of color reported higher rates of negative
law enforcement experiences. NCAVP members know that transgender survivors of violenceoften face biased and discriminatory treatment from law enforcement, courts, and other first
responders. We are concerned that Mcdonald could be facing discriminatory charges
based on her transgender identity. While we do not have all the details about this incident,
our experience tells us to strongly advocate that Hennepin County consider CeCe McDonald as
acting in self-defense.
http://www.ncavp.org/http://www.ncavp.org/http://www.ncavp.org/http://supportcece.wordpress.com/http://supportcece.wordpress.com/http://supportcece.wordpress.com/http://www.transadvocate.com/have-you-heard-about-cece-mcdonald.htmhttp://www.transadvocate.com/have-you-heard-about-cece-mcdonald.htmhttp://www.transadvocate.com/have-you-heard-about-cece-mcdonald.htmhttp://www.avp.org/publications/reports/documents/NCAVPHateViolenceReport2011Finaledjlfinaledits_000.pdfhttp://www.avp.org/publications/reports/documents/NCAVPHateViolenceReport2011Finaledjlfinaledits_000.pdfhttp://www.avp.org/publications/reports/documents/NCAVPHateViolenceReport2011Finaledjlfinaledits_000.pdfhttp://www.avp.org/publications/reports/documents/NCAVPHateViolenceReport2011Finaledjlfinaledits_000.pdfhttp://www.transadvocate.com/have-you-heard-about-cece-mcdonald.htmhttp://supportcece.wordpress.com/http://www.ncavp.org/8/2/2019 Nat'l Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' Letter of Support for Cece McDonald
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NCAVP does not condone violence and expresses our condolences that a life has been lost in
this incident. However, self-defense is not murder, and McDonald should not face murder
charges for acting to defend her own life in a racist, transphobic assault. Charging McDonald
with murder while other non-transgender people have not been charged by Hennepin County in
similar cases where defendants were acting in self-defense highlights the potential differential
treatment placed on McDonald because she is transgender. Furthermore, in a society whereviolence against transgender people is all too often condoned, ignored, and unsolved, charging
McDonald with murder minimizes transphobic violence and reinforces a transphobic culture.
NCAVP and our allies call for Hennepin County to drop the charges against CeCe McDonald
and for community members, anti-violence organizations, and public officials to take immediate
action to support survivors of transphobic violence.
ACTION STEPS
Sign the Petition: JoinChange.orgin calling on County Attorney Michael Freeman to honor his
committment, in his words "to serve all of our citizens with understanding, dignity, and respect"by dropping the charges against CeCe McDonald.
Report Violence: NCAVP encourages anyone who has experienced violence to contact a local
anti-violence program. For help locating an anti-violence program in your area, pleasecontact
us.
Get involved: Join NCAVP in our efforts to prevent and respond to LGBTQH violence.Contact
usto learn more.
NCAVP works to prevent, respond to, and end all forms of violence against and within lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) communities. NCAVP is anational coalition of local member programs, affiliate organizations and individuals who create
systemic and social change. NCAVP is a program of theNew York City Anti-Violence Project.
Signatories:
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
FIERCE
HIV Prevention Justice Alliance
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Coalition for LGBT Health
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
http://www.change.org/petitions/free-cece-we-re-looking-at-you-michael-freeman-drop-the-charges-against-cece-mcdonaldhttp://www.change.org/petitions/free-cece-we-re-looking-at-you-michael-freeman-drop-the-charges-against-cece-mcdonaldhttp://www.change.org/petitions/free-cece-we-re-looking-at-you-michael-freeman-drop-the-charges-against-cece-mcdonaldmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.avp.org/http://www.avp.org/http://www.avp.org/http://www.avp.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.change.org/petitions/free-cece-we-re-looking-at-you-michael-freeman-drop-the-charges-against-cece-mcdonald8/2/2019 Nat'l Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs' Letter of Support for Cece McDonald
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PFLAG National
Queers for Economic Justice
Red Umbrella Project
Sex Workers Outreach Project of New York City
Sylvia Rivera Law Project
Transgender Law Center
Trans Womens Anti-Violence Project
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